Compositions and methods for detecting multidrug resistant strains of M. tuberculosis having mutations in genes of the mutT family

ABSTRACT

The present invention pertains to polynucleotides derived from  M. tuberculosis  genes imparting resistance to antibiotics and chemically related compounds. This invention also relates to the use of the polynucleotides as oligonucleotide primers or probes for detecting  M. tuberculosis  strains that are resistant to antibiotics and related compounds in a biological sample. Kits containing the primers and probes are also provided.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/311,824, filed Aug. 14, 2001, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/313,523, filed Aug. 21, 2001, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to polynucleotides derived from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) genes that aid in imparting resistance to antibiotics and chemically related compounds. This invention also relates to the use of the polynucleotides as oligonucleotide primers or probes for detecting M. tuberculosis strains that are resistant to antibiotics and related compounds in a biological sample. The, present invention is also directed to diagnostic kits for detecting specific strains of M. tuberculosis expected to be contained in a biological sample.

Tuberculosis remains the world's leading infectious cause of adult deaths due to a single pathogen. Outbreaks of Multidrug-Resistant (MDR) tuberculosis defined as resistant to rifampicin and isoniazid are numerous, with low rates of treatment response and very high mortality. Some of these outbreaks involve patients with HIV infection (1, 2). In some reports, strains with a particular genotype have been identified, such as the “W” strain, which caused a major outbreak in New York (3).

In 1995, it was reported that the largest proportion of the M. tuberculosis strains from the Beijing area had highly similar IS6110 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns and identical spoligo patterns (4). These strains were therefore designated “Beijing” genotype strains. The “W” variant strains in New York appeared to represent the Beijing genotype of M. tuberculosis. FIG. 1 depicts an example of the characteristic IS6110 RFLP and highly specific spoligo patterns of the Beijing genotype. The unexpected level of genetic conservation among M. tuberculosis isolates of the Beijing genotype led to the hypothesis that these strains may have selective advantages over other M. tuberculosis strains. Moreover, Beijing genotype strains were significantly associated with drug resistance in Cuba, Estonia, and Vietnam (vansoolingen unpublished).

Several studies have suggested that strains of the Beijing genotype are emerging. In Vietnam, the proportion of Beijing strains was 71% in patients aged under 25, and 41% for those over 55 (vanSoolingen unpublished). Beijing strains have been implicated in several tuberculosis epidemics in the U.S.A (3) and recently in Gran Canaria (5). A recent study showed that 82% of MDR strains isolated in a prison in Azerbaijan, Eastern Europe, are of the Beijing genotype (6).

Knowledge of a possible molecular basis for the acquisition of drug resistance in M. tuberculosis would be extremely useful as a prerequisite for appropriate treatment. Resistance to antibiotics in M. tuberculosis is due to genomic mutations in specific genes of the bacterium. In contrast to other Gram-positive or Gram-negative pathogens with MDR phenotypes, plasmid or transposon-mediated mechanisms of resistance have not been reported in M. tuberculosis (3,4,5).

Recent studies have provided evidence for a role of mutator phenotypes in the emergence of MDR clinical Pseudomonas isolates (6). Such phenotypes may enable the bacteria, not only to easily acquire resistance to several antibiotics, but also to adapt to new niches and to escape immune surveillance by modulating bacterial resistance to host defenses (7). This prompted an investigation into whether a similar situation might exist in M. tuberculosis. Since MDR strains are dangerous to manipulate, it was decided, as a first step, to simply look for the presence of mutations in genes expected to play a role in mutation frequency.

Mutator phenotypes commonly result from defects in DNA repair enzymes (8). An in silico analysis suggested that most mismatch repair systems, like mutS, mutL or mutH, are missing in the M. tuberculosis genome. However, the frequency of spontaneous mutations in M. tuberculosis (in vitro cultures) is similar to that found in other bacteria carrying mismatch repair systems. This characteristic could have significant implications with respect to genome stability and strain variability (9). This suggests that unknown sequences, similar to genes responsible for the repair of DNA lesions resulting from the alkylation or oxidation of nucleotides, are present in the genome of M. tuberculosis.

Thus, there was a need in the art to identify sequences in the genome of M. tuberculosis having similarity to genes responsible for the repair of DNA lesions responsible for alkylation or oxidation of nucleotides, such as the mut genes from E. coli. More particularly, there was a need to identify sequences similar to E. coli genes and other mut genes. There was a further need to develop methods of using these sequences to predict the epidemic character of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolate and/or a selective advantage to be maintained in the host and/or the acquisition of multiple drug resistance (MDR) by the isolate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, this invention aids in fulfilling these needs in the art. More particularly, this invention provides methods for predicting the epidemic character of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolate and/or a selective advantage to be maintained in the host and/or the acquisition of multiple drug resistance (MDR) by the isolate, wherein the method comprises detecting an alteration in the DNA repair system of the isolate. This invention provides specific pairs of oligonucleotide primers or probes that lead to fragments that hybridize specifically, under stringent hybridization conditions as defined hereinafter, to the nucleic acid (RNA or DNA) from a particular strain of M. tuberculosis that has the MDR phenotype. Methods and kits for detecting a strain of M. tuberculosis that has the MDR phenotype are also disclosed.

In a first aspect this invention involved an investigation of eleven multidrug resistant M. tuberculosis strains isolated in Spain in 1998,1999, and 2000 (including five Beijing strains), one strain resistant to isoniazid and one strain sensitive to all antibiotics tested. Sensitivity to anti-tuberculosis drugs was assessed by the proportion method. Resistance to rifampicin was confirmed by demonstrating the presence of mutations in rpoB. In several cases, streptomycin resistance was confirmed by showing the presence of mutations in the rpsL or rrs gene. Mutations in putative mut genes were looked for by sequencing. The corresponding genetic regions were amplified and directly sequenced with the same primers. The study included data obtained form the published genome sequences of two isolates, H37Rv and CDC1551, which do not have a “Beijing” genotype.

The mutT2 sequence, the Rv3908 open reading frame (with a mutT domain), and rpoB, rpsL, and rrs sequences were first analyzed in eleven MDR strains (five strains with a “Beijing” genotype and six strains with a genotype other than “Beijing”) and in three strains sensitive to all antibiotics tested (one strain with a Beijing genotype and two strains with a genotype other than Beijing). All MDR strains carried mutations in rpoB. All MDR strains with a Beijing genotype carried mutations in rpsL. All strains with a Beijing genotype (whether antibiotic sensitive or MDR) carried a mutation in Rv3908, a putative mutT gene. Three MDR strains with a Beijing genotype carried an additional mutation in mutT2.

It was discovered that M. tuberculosis strains of the “Beijing” genotype, which have been responsible for several outbreaks of MDR tuberculosis, carry a mutation in a putative mut gene. Three MDR strains with a “Beijing” genotype carry an additional mutation in a second putative mutT gene. These mutations may have provided these strains with a better adaptability to hostile environments, such that they constitute a higher risk for the patients to develop MDR tuberculosis, especially when these patients receive insufficient anti-tuberculosis treatments.

M. tuberculosis sequences similar to alkA and ogt sequence of E. coli were also investigated.

One strain out of six MDR strains with a genotype other than Beijing carry a mutation ACC→AGC at the 15^(th) annotated codon of ogt, leading to Thr→Ser.

Two MDR strains with Beijing genotype and one strain with a Beijing phenotype and sensitive to antibiotics carry a mutation of CGC→CTC at the 37^(th) annotated codon of ogt, leading to Arg→Leu.

Two MDR Beijing strains carry a silent change at the 12^(th) codon of ogt, GGG→GGA.

Four MDR Beijing strains carry a mutation ATC→GTC at the 12^(th) codon of alkA, leading to Ile→Val.

Accordingly, this invention provides a method for predicting the epidemic character of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolate and/or the acquisition of multiple drug resistance (MDR) by the isolate, wherein the method comprises detecting an alteration in the DNA repair system of the isolate. In one embodiment, the isolate contains a mutation in one or more mutT locus, and in particular a mutation at one or more mutT family member selected from the Rv3908 locus, the mutT2 locus, and the ogt locus. In another embodiment, the isolate consists essentially of a Beijing Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain. In further embodiments any of the above isolates can also contain a mutation in at least one locus selected from the group consisting of rpoB, rpsl, rrs, or rpsl.

To further investigate the correlation between mutations in mutT loci and the epidemic character of M. tuberculosis isolates, mut genes in 170 M. tuberculosis complex isolates from 38 different countries, including strains responsible for tuberculosis outbreaks were analyzed. The strains collected in a previous study performed under auspices of the European Concerted Action project on Molecular Epidemiology of Tuberculosis (4) were included in this collection. M. tuberculosis strains were previously grouped in 3 classes according to Sreevatsan et al. (14). The Beijing strains belong to class 1. Sixty four strains from class 1 including 34 Beijing strains, 47 strains of class 2, three strains of class 3, and 52 strains of an undetermined class were investigated. Eight Beijing strains were multi-drug resistant (MDR). Sensitivity to anti-tuberculosis drugs was assessed by concentration methods. Resistance to rifampicin was confirmed by demonstrating the presence of mutations in the rpoB gene. Mutations in putative mut genes were detected by DNA sequencing. Three mutT-homologous genes (mutT1, mutT2, and Rv3908), and ogt were examined in 169 strains. Data obtained from the published genome sequences of three isolates, strain MT210, which has a Beijing genotype, and strains H37Rv and CDC1551, which represent other genotypes, were also included.

The vast majority (31 out of 35 strains) of the Beijing strains analyzed carried a mutation replacing Arg 48 by Gly in the deduced polypeptide encoded by the mutT putative gene Rv3908. In addition, 23 out of these 31 strains carried another mutation replacing Gly 58 by Arg near the active site of the putative enzyme encoded by mutT2. Five of the eight Beijing strains carrying the mutation in Rv3908 but no mutation in mutT2, appeared to contain a mutation replacing Arg 37 by Leu in the deduced protein encoded by the putative ogt gene. Seven of the eight MDR Beijing strains analyzed contained the mutations in Rv3908 and mutT2 described above, whereas the eighth had mutations in Rv3908 and ogt. None of the 134 non-Beijing strains, representing a variety of genotypes contained mutations in these three genes. The Beijing strain, which was responsible for a recent epidemic in Gran Canaria (5) and which bore the mutations in Rv3908 and ogt, was shown to present an increased rate of mutation to rifampicin resistance.

This invention also provides a method for detecting a Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain having a multiple drug resistance (MDR) phenotype, wherein the method comprises detecting a mutation in the Rv3908 locus of the genome of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain. In one embodiment, the method comprises detecting a mutation at codon 48 of the Rv3908 locus, and in particular, the method comprises detecting GGG at codon 48.

Further, this invention provides a method for detecting a Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain having a multiple drug resistance (MDR) phenotype, wherein the method comprises detecting a mutation in the mutT2 locus of the genome of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain. In a further embodiment, the method comprises detecting a mutation at codon 58 of the mutT2 locus, in particular, detecting CGA at codon 58.

In another embodiment, this invention provides a method of detecting a Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain having a multiple drug resistance (MDR) phenotype, wherein the method comprises:

(a) providing a biological sample suspected of containing Mycobacterium tuberculosis;

(b) amplifying nucleic acids in the sample using as a primer pair

-   -   (i) SEQ ID NO: 1, and SEQ ID NO: 2; or     -   (ii) SEQ ID NO: 3, and SEQ ID NO: 4; or     -   (iii) SEQ ID NO: 5, and SEQ ID NO: 6; or     -   (iv) SEQ ID NO: 7, and SEQ ID NO: 8; and

(c) detecting a mutation in the Rv3908 locus, or the mutT2 locus, or the ogt locus, or the alkA locus of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

In another embodiment, the isolate consists essentially of a Beijing Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain. In additional embodiments, the strain contains a mutation in one or more mutT family member selected from the Rv3908 locus, the mutT2 locus, and the ogt locus. In another embodiment, the isolate contains a mutation in at least one locus selected from the group consisting of rpoB, rpsl, rrs, or rpsl.

In another embodiment, the method comprises detecting a mutation in the Rv3908 locus of the genome of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain. In a further embodiment, the method comprises detecting a mutation at codon 48 of the Rv3908 locus. And in another embodiment, the method comprises detecting GGG at codon 48.

In another embodiment, the method comprises detecting a mutation in the mutT2 locus of the genome of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain. In a further embodiment, the method comprises detecting a mutation at codon 58 of the mutT2 locus. And in another embodiment, the method comprises detecting CGA at codon 58.

In another embodiment, the method comprises detecting a mutation in the ogt locus of the genome of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain.

This invention also provides a polynucleotide consisting of contiguous nucleotide's of the Rv3908 locus of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain including codon 48 of said locust or a polynucleotide fully complementary thereto. In one embodiment, codon 48 is GGG. In another embodiment, the polynucleotide contains the complement of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, or both SEQ ID NOs: 1 and 2.

Further, this invention provides a polynucleotide consisting of contiguous nucleotides of the mutT2 locus of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain including codon 58 of said locus, or a polynucleotide fully complementary thereto. In one embodiment, codon 48 is CGA. In another embodiment, the polynucleotide contains the complement of SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 4, or both SEQ ID NOs: 3 and 4.

In addition, this invention provides a purified polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from:

a) SEQ ID NO: 1;

b) SEQ ID NO: 2;

c) SEQ ID NO: 3;

d) SEQ ID NO: 4;

e) SEQ ID NO: 5;

f) SEQ ID NO: 6;

g) SEQ ID NO: 7; and

h) SEQ ID NO: 8.

Additionally, the invention includes a purified polynucleotide that hybridizes specifically under stringent conditions with one or more polynucleotide sequence selected from SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 6, SEQ ID NO: 7, and SEQ ID NO: 8.

The invention further includes polynucleotide fragments capable of hybridization under stringent conditions with any one of the nucleotide sequences enumerated above.

Additionally, the invention includes kits for the detection of the presence of M. tuberculosis strains that contain the polynucleotide sequences set forth above.

In another embodiment, the invention provides:

a polynucleotide fragment comprising SEQ ID NO: 1 (mutT2-1);

a polynucleotide fragment comprising SEQ ID NO: 2 (mutT2-2);

a polynucleotide fragment comprising SEQ ID NO: 3 (Rv3908-1);

a polynucleotide fragment comprising SEQ ID NO: 4 (Rv3908-2);

a polynucleotide fragment comprising SEQ ID NO: 5 (alkA-1);

a polynucleotide fragment comprising SEQ ID NO: 6 (alkA-2);

a polynucleotide fragment comprising SEQ ID NO: 7 (ogt-1); and

a polynucleotide fragment comprising SEQ ID NO: 8 (ogt-2).

In another embodiment, the invention provides sequences of open reading frames of M. tuberculosis mut genes as follows:

a purified polynucleotide of 1488 bp designated as alkA and consisting of SEQ ID NO: 27;

a purified polynucleotide of 495 bp designated as ogt and consisting of SEQ ID NO: 28;

a purified polynucleotide of 423 bp designated mutT2 and consisting of SEQ ID NO: 29;

a purified polynucleotide of 744 bp designated Rv3908 and consisting of SEQ ID NO: 30;

a purified polynucleotide of 912 bp designated mutY and consisting of SEQ ID NO: 31; and

a purified polynucleotide of 2406 bp designated Rv3909 and consisting of SEQ ID NO: 32.

In another embodiment, the invention provides sequences of cDNA sequences of M. tuberculosis mut genes as follows:

a purified polynucleotide comprising SEQ ID NO: 27 (alkA);

a purified polynucleotide comprising SEQ ID NO: 28 (ogt);

a purified polynucleotide comprising SEQ ID NO: 29 (mutT2);

a purified polynucleotide comprising SEQ ID NO: 30 (Rv3908);

a purified polynucleotide comprising SEQ ID NO: 31 (mutY); and

a purified polynucleotide comprising SEQ ID NO: 32 (Rv3909).

In another embodiment, the invention provides purified polynucleotide sequences that are delimited upstream by the polynucleotide sequence of an upstream primer and downstream by the polynucleotide sequence of a downstream primer, wherein the purified polynucleotide sequence comprises the open reading frame sequence of a mut gene of the invention as follows:

a purified polynucleotide sequence delimited upstream by the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and downstream by the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein the purified polynucleotide sequence comprises SEQ ID NO: 29;

a purified polynucleotide sequence delimited upstream by the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 and downstream by the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, wherein the purified polynucleotide sequence comprises SEQ ID NO: 30;

a purified polynucleotide sequence delimited upstream by the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 and downstream by the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6, wherein the purified polynucleotide sequence comprises SEQ ID NO: 27; and

a purified polynucleotide sequence delimited upstream by the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7 and downstream by the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8, wherein the purified polynucleotide sequence comprises SEQ ID NO: 28.

Still further, this invention provides a purified polynucleotide sequence originating from a gene of M. tuberculosis comprising a mutator allele.

In another embodiment, the invention provides:

an E. coli strain containing the plasmid pMYC2501 deposited at the C.N.C.M. on Aug. 20, 2001 under Accession No. 1-2711;

an E. coli strain containing the plasmid pMYC2502 deposited at the C.N.C.M. on Aug. 20, 2001 under Accession No. 1-2712; and

an E. coli strain containing the plasmid pMYC2503 deposited at the C.N.C.M. on Aug. 20, 2001 under Accession No. 1-2713.

Still further, this invention provides a method for detecting in a patient infected by M. tuberculosis a higher risk of being unable to eliminate the bacillus or a higher probability to develop MDR tuberculosis, wherein the method comprises detecting the presence of mutator alleles in clinical strains of M. tuberculosis with one or more polynucleotide fragments selected from SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 6, SEQ ID NO: 7, and SEQ ID NO: 8.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This invention will be more fully described with reference to the figures, in which:

FIG. 1 depicts an example of the characteristic IS6110 RFLP and: highly specific spoligo patterns of the Beijing genotype of M. tuberculosis.

FIGS. 2A-2C: FIGS. 2A and 2B show the sequence of the alkA locus, which is designated SEQ ID NO: 17. The sequences of primers alkA-1 (SEQ ID NO: 5) and alkA-2 (SEQ ID NO: 6) are indicated by underlining. FIG. 2C shows the sequence of the 1488 bp alkA open reading frame (ORF) (SEQ ID NO: 27).

FIGS. 3A-3B: FIG. 3A shows the sequence of the ogt locus, which is designated SEQ ID NO: 18. The sequences of primers ogt-1 (SEQ ID NO: 7) and ogt-2 (SEQ ID NO: 8) are indicated by underlining. Figure shows the sequence of the 495 bp ogt open reading frame (ORF) (SEQ ID NO: 28).

FIGS. 4A-4B: FIG. 4A shows the sequence of the mutT2 locus, which is designated SEQ ID NO: 19. The sequences of primers mutT2-1 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and mutT2-2 (SEQ ID NO: 2) are indicated by underlining. FIG. 4B shows the sequence of the 423 bp mutT2 open reading frame (ORF) (SEQ ID NO: 29).

FIGS. 5A-5B: FIG. 5A shows the sequence of the RV3908 locus, which is designated SEQ ID NO: 20. The sequences of primers Rv3908-1-1 (SEQ ID NO: 3) and Rv3908-2 (SEQ ID NO: 3) are indicated by underlining. FIG. 5B shows the sequence of the 744 bp Rv3908 open reading frame (ORF) (SEQ ID NO: 30).

FIGS. 6A-6B: FIG. 6A shows the sequence of the mutY locus, which is designated SEQ ID NO: 21. The sequences of primers mutY-1 (SEQ ID NO: 9) and mutY-2 (SEQ ID NO: 10) are indicated by underlining. FIG. 6B shows the sequence of the 912 bp mutY open reading frame (ORF) (SEQ ID NO: 31).

FIGS. 7A-7C: FIGS. 7A and 7B show the sequence of the Rv3909 locus, which is designated SEQ ID NO: 22. FIG. 7C shows the sequence of the 2406 bp Rv3909 open reading frame (ORF) (SEQ ID NO: 32).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

M. tuberculosis strains with a “Beijing” genotype have been associated with outbreaks worldwide, including multidrug resistant (MDR) isolates like the “W” strain in the United States. An aim of this invention was to test the hypothesis of a better adaptation of “Beijing” M. tuberculosis due to alterations in DNA repair genes (mut genes). Similarly, other MDR strains (with a genotype other than Beijing) may accumulate mutations in DNA or nucleotide repair systems. Indeed, such alterations could result in increased frequencies of mutations in genes responsible for the resistance of the pathogen to different environments as well as to antibiotics, as described for E. coli and Pseudomonas species. In silico analysis of bacterial genomes provides a list of putative mut genes. mut and mutT putative genes in MDR M. tuberculosis isolates, including “Beijing” strains, were investigated as follows.

A network to monitor the spread of MDR-Tuberculosis in Spain based on genomic typing was set up in January 1998 by the Spanish Working Group on MDR-TB, coordinated by the Mycobacterial Genetic Unit of the University of Zaragoza and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. All MDR strains defined as isolates with resistance to at least isoniazid (I) and rifampicin (R) isolated in 1998 in Spain were sent to the University of Zaragoza for molecular typing by the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method using IS6110 (10). A total of 203 strains were registered. Among them 11 were of the Beijing family.

DNA samples of MDR strains were chosen with the criteria of, first exhibiting different restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), and second containing enough DNA for an extensive analysis. In a first set of experiments five “Beijing” MDR strains and six MDR strains with a genotype other than “Beijing” were analyzed. One strain resistant to isoniazid and one strain susceptible to all antibiotics were analyzed, both having a genotype other than “Beijing”.

Several putative mut genes were annotated as such in the released genome sequence of M. tuberculosis. In addition, using a BLAST, Rv3908 was identified as an ORF carrying a mutT domain (11, 12).

The following primers were designed to amplify putative mut genes: mutT2: mutT2-1: 5′-TCCGGATGATGATTTACCTCC-3′, SEQ ID NO: 1 mutT2-2: 5′-TCCGCCGGGTCGGGGAC-3′; SEQ ID NO: 2 Rv3908: Rv3908-1: 5′-TCGAAGGTGGGCAAATCGTG-3′, SEQ ID NO: 3 Rv3908-2: 5′-TGGGGTTCGCTGGAAGTGG-3′; SEQ ID NO: 4 alkA: alkA-1: 5′-AGCCGCGTAGGTAACCT-3′, SEQ ID NO: 5 alkA-2: 5′-TGCTCGAGCATCCGCAG-3′; SEQ ID NO: 6 ogt: ogt-1: 5′-CAGCGCTCGCTGGCGCC-3′, SEQ ID NO: 7 ogt-2: 5′-GACTCAGCCGCTCGCGA-3′; SEQ ID NO: 8 mutY: mutY-1: 5′-CCGGCGACGAATCGCTCGTT-3′, SEQ ID NO: 9 mutY-2: 5′-AGCTGGGACAGTCGTCGCGG-3′. SEQ ID NO: 10 mutT1: 5′-ATCGTCGGCGTGCCGTG-3′, SEQ ID NO: 23 5′-GTCAGCGTCCTGCCCGG-3′ SEQ ID NO: 24 mutT3: 5′-GTCACGTCTGTTAGGACCTC-3′, SEQ ID NO: 25 5′-CGCGCAACGGCTGCCGG-3′ SEQ ID NO: 26

Similarly, primers were designed to amplify: rpoB: rpoB: 5′-TACGGTCGGCGAGCTGATCC-3′ SEQ ID NO: 11 5′-TACGGCGTTTCGATGAACC-3′; SEQ ID NO: 12 rrs: 5′-GAGAGTTTGATCCTGGCTCAG-3′, SEQ ID NO: 13 5′-TGCACACAGGCCACAAGGGA-3′; SEQ ID NO: 14 and rpsl: 5′-GGCCGACAAACAGAACGT-3′, SEQ ID NO: 15 5′-GTTCACCAACTGGGTGAC-3′. SEQ ID NO: 16

Amplification using primers mutT2-1 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and mutT2-2 (SEQ ID NO: 2) will result in a polynucleotide sequence delimited upstream by the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and downstream by the polynucleotide sequence of SED ID NO: 2.

Amplification using primers Rv3908-1 (SEQ ID NO: 3) and Rv3908-2 (SEQ ID NO: 4) will result in a polynucleotide sequence delimited upstream by the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 and downstream by the polynucleotide sequence of SED ID NO: 4.

Amplification using primers alkA-1 (SEQ ID NO: 5) and alkA-2 (SEQ ID NO: 6) will result in a polynucleotide sequence delimited upstream by the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 and downstream by the polynucleotide sequence of SED ID NO: 6.

Amplification using primers ogt-1 (SEQ ID NO: 7) and ogt-2 (SEQ ID NO: 8) will result in a polynucleotide sequence delimited upstream by the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7 and downstream by the polynucleotide sequence of SED ID NO: 8.

DNA sequencing was carried out directly on the amplified fragments by using the dideoxy chain-termination method with the Big Dye Terminator Cycle sequencing Kit (PE Applied Biosystems) on a GeneAmp PCR system 9600; Perkin Elmer) and run on a DNA analysis system model 373 (Applied Biosystems).

Sequences of mutY, mutT2, Rv3908, rpoB, mutT1, mutT3, ogt, rrs, and rpsl of strains H37Rv, CDC1551, and MT210 were obtained from published sequences (12) or at the TIGR WEB site. Several putative mut genes were annotated as such in the released genome sequence of M. tuberculosis. Using a BLAST, Rv3908 was identified as an ORF carrying a MutT domain (11, 12). Alleles of putative genes coding for DNA repair enzymes mutT (which hydrolyses 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine triphosphate) (13, 14) and mutY (specific adenine glycosylase) (8) were investigated in 11 MDR strains of M. tuberculosis, and 3 susceptible strains to all antibiotics plus one strain resistant to isoniazid that were taken as controls. In searches for sequences similar to mut T, mutT1, mutT2, mutT3, and RV3908 were discovered. The best fits were observed for mutT2 and Rv3908. The search for sequences similar to ogt and mutY identified a single open reading frame in each case.

The MDR and antibiotic sensitive strains were identified by classical identification tests. They were isolated from patients in Spain (the European collection of M. tuberculosis MDR strains). Five of the ten MDR strains and one sensitive strain had a “Beijing” genotype. Primers were designed to amplify the mutY, mutT2, Rv3908, rpoB, ogt, rrs, alkA, and rpsl gene candidates. For the mutY and mutM putative genes, amplification was obtained with all strains, but sequencing analysis did not reveal any mutation at these loci.

In all strains with a “Beijing” genotype,.whether MDR or antibiotic sensitive, a mutation was discovered in Rv3908. Codon 48 (CGG) of the annotated ORF had been changed to GGG, which would lead to the substitution of Arg by Gly. No mutation in Rv3908 was observed in any other strain with a genotype other than “Beijing” (antibiotic sensitive or MDR).

Three out of four MDR “Beijing” strains had an additional mutation in mutT2, which led to a change in codon 58 (GGA to CGA) resulting in a substitution of Gly by Arg. The active site of the E. coli MutT enzyme comprises amino acids 53, 56, 57, and 98. Helix I of the polypeptide spans from aa 47 to 59 (15). Therefore, it would seem likely that a Gly→Arg mutation at position 58 would have a significant effect on enzyme activity and lead to a mutator phenotype, which in turn would facilitate the acquisition of genomic mutations resulting in resistance to antibiotics. Resistance to rifampicin was confirmed by showing mutations in rpoB for all MDR strains. An MDR M. bovis strain that was responsible for the B epidemic in Europe was investigated. This strain carries a mutation at the beginning of Rv3909, which seems to be arranged in an operon with RV3908. The different mutations are listed in Table 1. TABLE 1 strain characteristics and analysis of mutations at rpoB, rpsl, rrs, Rv3908 and mut T2^(#) Drugs susceptibility R/I/E/S rpoB^(a) rpsl^(b) rrs^(c) Rv3908 MutT2 alkA ogt Beijing MDR strains ZA 20 R/I/S Asp 516 Val Lys 43 Arg wt Arg 48 Gly wt ND Arg 37 Leu ZA 65 R/I/E/S Asp 516 Val Lys 43 Arg wt Arg 48 Gly wt Ile 12 Val Arg 37 Leu ZA 67 R/I/E/S His 526 Leu Lys 43 Arg wt Arg 48 Gly Gly 58 Arg Ile 12 Val ND ZA 68 R/I Ser 531 Leu Lys 43 Arg wt Arg 48 Gly Gly 58 Arg Ile 12 Val ND (at least) Val 577 Ala ZA 69 R/I/S Ser 531 Leu Lys 43 Arg wt Arg 48 Gly Gly 58 Arg Ile 12 Val ND MDR strains other than Beijing ZA 11 R/I/E Ser 531 Leu wt wt wt wt wt Thr 15 Ser ZA 12 R/I/E ND wt wt wt wt wt wt ZA 13 R/I/S His 526 Leu Lys 43 Arg wt wt wt wt wt ZA 14 R/I/E His 526 Leu wt c491t wt wt wt wt (at least) ZA 16 R/I/E/S Ser 531 Leu wt wt wt wt wt wt ZA 17 R/I/E/S Asp 516 Val wt wt wt wt ND ND Beijing strains ZA 62 sensitive ND ND ND Arg 48 Gly wt ND Arg 37 Leu Strains other than Beijing M. bovis R/I/E/S/ Ser 531 Leu Lys43Arg wt Rv3909 wt Ile 12 Val wtt MDR (at least) ZA19 ZA 15 I/E wt wt wt wt wt wt wt CDC1551* sensitive wt wt wt wt wt wt wt H37 Rv** sensitive wt wt wt wt wt wt wt *Analysis of the different loci using the sequences provided by TIGR: http://www.tigr.org/ **Analysis of the different loci using the sequences provided by SANGER: http://www.sanger.ac.uk/ R = Rifampin I = Isoniazid E = Ethamutol S = Streptomycin ^(a)Gene encoding the RNA polymerase subunit B ^(b)Gene encoding ribosomal protein S12 ^(c)Gene encoding 16S rRNA

#For rpoB, rpsl, Rv3908, alkA, ogt, and mutT2: amino acid substitution; For rrs: nucleotide substitution. It is interesting to note in Table 1 that the three MDR “Beijing” strains with the same mutation at the putative mut T2 loci harbored a different rpoB mutation. The three strains were isolated from patients who had immigrated from Eastern Europe. These findings suggest that the two strains may correspond to the same outbreak. The acquisition of the three different mutations in rpoB leading to rifampicin resistance (5) must have occurred after the acquisition of mutations in the putative nucleotide repair enzyme genes Rv3908 and mutT2.

Resistance to streptomycin correlated with mutations at the rpsl locus for all MDR strains with a “Beijing” genotype. Strains with a genotype other than “Beijing” carried mutations at rrs (one strain), rpsl (one strain), or somewhere else and genetically unidentified (four strains) (4).

In a second set of experiments, mut genes in DNA of a total of 170 M. tuberculosis complex strains originating from 38 different countries were analyzed. This set comprised 149 M. tuberculosis strains, but also included other members of the complex, such as M. bovis (12), M. bovis BCG (3), M. africanum (2), M. microti (2), and M. canettii (1). Sixty-eight M. tuberculosis strains, including eight Beijing genotype strains, of which one was MDR, and the 20 strains of the other species mentioned above were selected, because they were characterized with 13 different genetic markers in previous studies (4, 21).

Furthermore, strains representing different branches of the Beijing genotype were included. Five M. tuberculosis strains of the Beijing genotype and one strain of another genotype were obtained from the national program for surveillance of MDR tuberculosis in Spain. Five M. tuberculosis Beijing genotype strains isolated in The Netherlands were included because they exhibited spoligo patterns with fewer than nine spacers. Five additional Beijing genotype strains were included. These strains exhibited hybridization to an additional spacer, as demonstrated using the extended set of spacers (vanSoolingen unpublished), two of which lacked hybridization to spacer. Four Beijing strains representing lineage's of the W-strain and originating in the U.S.A. were also included (22). Five Beijing isolates from patients living in Vietnam were selected because these strains acquired resistance in comparison with initial isolates of those patients. From ten patients, two follow-up isolates were included, of which the second showed an increase in drug resistance, four of these patients originated in Vietnam and six in The Netherlands, one was of the Beijing genotype. Fourteen additional non-Beijing strains were selected from The Netherlands, of which nine contained few IS6110 copies.

Finally, nineteen strains of another frequently observed genotype, the ‘Haarlem genotype’ (4) were investigated. Five of these originated from Bolivia, two were from an outbreak of MDR-TB in the Czech Republic (23), and twelve were of the “M-type” from Argentina (24).

To summarize, the collection consisted of 34 Beijing genotype isolates, 32 Haarlem genotype isolates, eight strains of the African genotype, four of the Hanoi type and 88 of other genotypes. For the majority of these strains the polymorphism in katG and gyrA, allowing the grouping according to Sreevatsan et al. 2, were known; 30 strains were of class 1, 47 of class 2, three of class 3 and 86 strains were of an undetermined class.

All isolates were subjected to at least IS6110 RFLP typing and Spoligotyping (4). Drug susceptibility testing according to the proportion method was done for 85 (51%) out of the 166 strains. Eighteen strains were resistant to solely INH, solely streptomycin, or to INH and streptomycin. Twenty strains from Argentina (n=9, all Haarlem), Spain (n=4, all Beijing), Vietnam (n=5, three Beijing, two other), China (n=1, Beijing) and The Netherlands (n=1, other) were MDR. All isolates were unique when the three typing methods were combined.

The sequences of the different genes mentioned above were determined in ten MDR M. tuberculosis strains including four Beijing strains. For the mutY, mutT1, and mutT3 putative genes, amplification was obtained with all strains tested, but sequence analysis did not reveal any mutation at these loci. However, in comparison with H37Rv and CDC1 551, mutations in Rv3908, mutT2 and ogt were observed in MDR Beijing strains, but not in MDR strains with another genotype.

This investigation was extended to look for the presence of mutations in these three genes in the whole collection of M. tuberculosis complex isolates. The results are depicted in Tables 2 and 3. TABLE 2 Distribution of mutations in the putative genes Rv3908, mutT2, and ogt among Beijing and non-Beijing genotype M. tuberculosis complex strains originating from 38 different countries. Number of strains per affected locus Rv3908 and Rv3908 and Genotype Rv3908 mutT2 ogt ogt none Beijing 3^(a) 23^(b) 5^(c) 1^(d)  3^(e) Non-Beijing 0  0 0 0 134^(f) ^(a) M. tuberculosis strains from The Netherlands (2) and the USA (1). ^(b) M. tuberculosis strains from China (1), Malaysia (2), Mongolia (1), The Netherlands (6), South Africa (2), Spain (3) Thailand (1), Vietnam (6); and the genome sequence of M. tuberculosis strain MT210 from TIGR. ^(c) M. tuberculosis strains from The Netherlands (1), South Korea (1), Spain (2), and Vietnam (1). ^(d)One M. tuberculosis strain from the USA. ^(e) M. tuberculosis strains from The Netherlands (1) and the USA (2). ^(f)114 M. tuberculosis strains from Argentina (14), Bolivia (7), Burundi (2), Canada (2), Central African Republic (2), Chile (2), China (1), Comoro Islands (1), Curacao (1), Czech Republic (4), Ethiopia (1), Ecuador (2), Greenland (2), Honduras (2), India (4), Italy (1), Iran (2), Mongolia (1), The Netherlands (33, including H37Ra), Russia (1), # Rwanda (2), South Korea (1), Spain (3), Sri Lanka (2), Tahiti (2), Tanzania (2), Tunisia (2), Uganda (2), the USA (2), Vietnam (7), Zimbabwe (2), and CDC1551 from TIGR and H37Rv from SANGER; 12 M. bovis strains from Argentina (5), The Netherlands (6), and Saudi Arabia (1); three M. bovis BCG strains from Japan (1), # The Netherlands (1), and Russia (1); two M. africanum strains from the Netherlands; two M. microti strains from the UK; and one M. canettii strain from Somalia.

TABLE 3 Affected loci in M. tuberculosis strains that are susceptible (S), resistant (DR) or multiresistant (MDR) to antibiotics. Affected locus Rv3908 Drug and Rv3908 Genotype susceptibility Rv3908 mutT2 and Ogt Ogt None Beijing S 2 12 2 0 1 (n = 35) DR 0 3 1 0 0 MDR 0 7 1 0 0 nd 1 1 1 1 2 Non-Beijing S 0 0 0 0 30 (n = 134) DR 0 0 0 0 14 MDR 0 0 0 0 12 nd 0 0 0 0 78

Thirty-one out of 35 strains with a Beijing genotype, either susceptible to tuberculostatics or MDR, had a mutation in Rv3908. Codon 48 (CGG) of the annotated ORF had been changed to GGG, which would lead to the substitution of Arg by Gly (Table 2).

Five out of the 31 Beijing strains with the mutation in Rv3908 carried an additional mutation in ogt, implying a change in codon 37, resulting in a substitution of Arg by Leu. In addition, a single Beijing strain carried a mutation in ogt, but not in Rv3908 (Table 2).

Twenty-three out of 26 Beijing strains with the mutation in Rv3908, but lacking a mutation in ogt, had an additional mutation in mutT2, which leads to a change in codon 58 (GGA to CGA) resulting in a substitution of Gly by Arg.

It is noteworthy that all twelve of the MDR Beijing strains carried mutations in two mutT genes. Ten of the twelve carried mutations in Rv3908 and mutT2, and the remaining two had a mutation in both Rv3908 and ogt (see Table 3).

No mutations in Rv3908, mutT2, or ogt were observed in any of the 134 M. tuberculosis complex strains, originating from 38 different countries, with a genotype other than Beijing, including 30 strains of class 1. Thus, no mutations were observed in any of the 32 strains of the Haarlem genotype, including 14 DR and 12 MDR isolates, nor in any of the strains of M. bovis, M. bovis BCG, M. africanum, M. microti, and M. canettii.

The sequences of the three DNA repair genes (Rv3908, mutT2, and otg) were analyzed in 20 serial isolates of ten patients, in which the follow-up isolate showed an increase in resistance to anti-tuberculosis drugs. This analysis revealed that the sequences of the respective genes were unaltered, irrespective of the genotype. One of these patients was infected with a Beijing genotype strain, and the isolates of this patient had mutations in Rv3908 and mutT2. Four of the five additional follow-up isolates of the Beijing genotype that had gained resistance in comparison with previous isolates of the respective patients who suffered from a relapse of tuberculosis also showed mutations in Rv3908 and mutT, the fifth showed mutations in Rv3908 and ogt.

This invention provides the first demonstration of polymorphism in M. tuberculosis genes that might lead to a mutator phenotype, and therefore to a better adaptation of the bacilli to hostile environment (new ref. 28). The vast majority of Beijing strains carried the same mutation in ORF Rv3908, which contains a MutT domain. Seventy-four percent of the Beijing strains carried an additional and identical mutation in a second putative gene of the mutT family, whereas an additional 16% carried an additional and identical mutation in ogt. All eight MDR strains with a Beijing genotype were among strains carrying two mutations in putative mutator genes. This would support the notion that M. tuberculosis strains of the Beijing genotype may have adapted to hostile environments, including exposure to anti-tuberculosis drugs, due to a succession of alterations of DNA repair enzymes. Other genes involved in other DNA repair mechanism or in the fidelity of DNA replication may also be involved.

In less than 13% of the Beijing strains no mutation was observed in Rv3908. It is not clear whether these strains are ancestral to the mutator strains, or represent a separate lineage of the Beijing genotype strains. Two of the four Beijing strains devoid of a mutation in Rv3908 were in a separate branch of the dendrogram, when computer-assisted comparison of the IS6110 RFLP patterns using the unweighted pair group method for clustering was performed. Alternatively, the lack of a mutation in Rv3908 may be due to a reversion that could have occurred after a transient mutator phenotype. The presence of a mutation in mutT2 was always associated with a mutation in this ORF. This suggests that a first mutation occurred in Rv3908 and that thereafter a second mutation either in mutT2 or ogt was acquired. As observed for other bacterial populations, mutator phenotypes may be transient in many cases to limit deleterious effects (26).

It should be noted that, irrespective of the role that might be played by the mutations described herein, their presence provides a useful marker for predicting the epidemic character of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolate and/or a selective advantage to be maintained in the host and/or the acquisition of multiple drug resistance (MDR) by the isolate, wherein the method comprises detecting an alteration in the DNA repair system of said isolate.

This invention thus provides specific pairs of oligonucleotide primers or probes that lead to fragments that hybridize specifically, under stringent hybridization conditions as defined hereinafter, to the nucleic acid (RNA or DNA) from a particular strain of M. tuberculosis that has the MDR phenotype. These oligonucleotide primers include the following:

(A) SEQ ID NO: 1;

(B) SEQ ID NO: 2;

(C) SEQ ID NO: 3;

(D) SEQ ID NO: 4;

(E) SEQ ID NO: 5;

(F) SEQ ID NO: 6;

(G) SEQ ID NO: 7; and

(H) SEQ ID NO: 8.

In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the purified polynucleotides useful for detecting M. tuberculosis strains can be used in combination in order to detect MDR M. tuberculosis strains in a biological sample. Thus, the present invention also provides detection methods and kits comprising combinations of the purified polynucleotides according to the invention.

By “polynucleotides” according to the invention is meant the sequences referred to as SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 and the complementary sequences and/or the sequences of polynucleotides that hybridize to the referred sequences in specific stringent conditions and that are used for detecting M. tuberculosis strains carrying a gene that aids in imparting resistance to antibiotics, such as rifampicin and isoniazid or phenotypes that lead to resistances. The polynucleotides of SEQ ID NOs. 1-8 and their fragments can be used to select nucleotide primers notably for an amplification reaction, such as the amplification reactions further described.

PCR is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,202 granted to Cetus Corp. The amplified fragments may be identified by agarose or polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, or by a capillary electrophoresis, or alternatively by a chromatography technique (gel filtration, hydrophobic chromatography, or ion exchange chromatography). The specificity of the amplification can be ensured by a molecular hybridization using as nucleic probes the entire sequences or the polynucleotides of SEQ ID NOs: 1-8 and their fragments, oligonudeotides that are complementary to these polynucleotides or fragments thereof, or their amplification products themselves.

Amplified nucleotide fragments are useful as probes in hybridization reactions in order to detect the presence of one polynucleotide according to the present invention or in order to detect the presence of M. tuberculosis strains carrying genes that impart resistance to antibiotics. This invention also provides the amplified nucleic acid fragments (“amplicons”) defined herein above. These probes and amplicons can be radioactively or non-radioactively labeled, using for example enzymes or fluorescent compounds.

Other techniques related to nucleic acid amplification can also be used and are generally preferred to the PCR technique. The Strand Displacement Amplification (SDA) technique is an isothermal amplification technique based on the ability of a restriction enzyme to cleave one of the strands at a recognition site (which is under a hemiphosphorothioate form), and on the property of a DNA polymerase to initiate the synthesis of a new strand from the 3′ OH end generated by the restriction enzyme, and on the property of this DNA polymerase to displace the previously synthesized strand being localized downstream.

The SDA amplification technique is more easily performed than PCR (a single thermostated water bath device is necessary), and is faster than the other amplification methods. Thus, the present invention also comprises using the entire nucleic acid sequences or fragments thereof according to the invention (primers) in a method of DNA or RNA amplification according to the SDA technique.

The entire nucleotide sequences or polynucleotides of SEQ ID NOs: 1-8 and their fragments, especially the primers according to the invention, are useful as technical means for performing different target nucleic acid amplification methods such as:

TAS (Transcription-based Amplification System), described by Kwoh et al. (27);

SR (Self-Sustained Sequence Replication), described by Guatelli et al. (28);

NASBA (Nucleic acid Sequence Based Amplification), described by Kievitis et al., 1991 (29); and

TMA (Transcription Mediated Amplification).

The polynucleotides of SEQ ID NOs: 1-8 and their fragments, especially the primers according to the invention, are also useful as technical means for performing methods for amplification or modification of a nucleic acid used as a probe, such as:

LCR (Ligase Chain Reaction), described by Landegren et al., 1988 (30), and improved by Barany et al. (31), who employ a thermostable ligase;

RCR (Repair Chain Reaction), described by Segev, D, et al. (32);

CPR (Cycling Probe Reaction), described by Duck et al. (33); and

Q-beta replicase reaction, described by Miele et al. in 1983 and improved by Chu et al. in 1986, Lizardi et al. in 1988, and by Burg et al. and Stone et al. in 1996.

When the target polynucleotide to be detected is RNA, for example mRNA, a reverse transcriptase enzyme can be used before the amplification reaction in order to obtain a cDNA from the RNA contained in the biological sample. The generated cDNA can be subsequently used as the nucleic acid target for the primers or the probes used in an amplification process or a detection process according to the present invention.

Nucleic acid probes according to the present invention are specific to produce an amplicon of the invention. By “specific probes” according to the invention is meant any oligonucleotide that hybridizes with one polynucleotide of SEQ ID NOs: 1-8 and which does not hybridize with unrelated sequences.

In a specific embodiment, the purified polynucleotides according to the present invention encompass polynucleotides having at least 75% homology in their entire nucleotide sequences or nucleic acid sequences with SEQ ID NOS: 1-8. By percentage of nucleotide homology according to the present invention is intended a percentage of identity between the corresponding bases of two homologous polynucleotides, this percentage of identity being purely statistical and the differences between two homologous polynucleotides being located at random and on the whole length of said polynucleotides.

The percent identity can be determined, for example, by comparing sequence information using the GAP computer program, version 6.0 described by Devereux et al. (34) and available from the University of Wisconsin Genetics Computer Group (UWGCG). The GAP program utilizes the alignment method of Needleman and Wunsch (35), as revised by Smith and Waterman (36). The preferred default parameters for the GAP program include: (1) a unary comparison matrix (containing a value of 1 for identities and 0 for non-identities) for nucleotides, and the weighted comparison matrix of Gribskov and Burgess (37) as described by Schwartz and Dayhoff, (38); (2) a penalty of 3.0 for each gap and an additional 0.10 penalty for each symbol in each gap; and (3) no penalty for end gaps.

The oligonucleotide probes according to the present invention hybridize under stringent conditions with M. tuberculosis DNA and RNA. As an illustrative embodiment, the stringent hybridization conditions used in order to specifically detect M. tuberculosis strains according to the present invention are advantageously the following:

Prehybridization and hybridization are performed at 68° C. in a mixture containing:

5× SSPE (1× SPE is 0.18 M NaCl, 10 mM NaH₂PO₄);

5× Denhardt's solution;

0.5% (w/v) sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS); and

100 pg ml⁻¹ salmon sperm DNA.

The washings are performed as follows:

(a) Two washings at laboratory temperature for 10 min. in the presence of 2× SSPE and 0.1% SDS;

(b) One washing at 68° C. for 15 min. in the presence of 1× SSPE and 0.1% SDS; and

(c) One washing at 68° C. for 15 min. in the presence of 0.1× SSPE and 0.1% SDS.

The non-labeled polynucleotides or oligonucleotides of the invention can be directly used as probes. Nevertheless, the polynucleotides or oligonucleotides can be generally labeled with a radioactive element (³²P, ³⁵S, ³H, ¹²⁵I) or by a non-isotopic molecule (for example, biotin, acetylaminofluorene, digoxigenin, 5-bromodeoxyuridin, fluorescein) in order to generate probes that are useful for numerous applications. Examples of non-radioactive labeling of nucleic acid fragments are described in the French Patent No. FR 78 10975 or by Urdea et al. (39) or Sanchez-Pescador et al. (40).

Other labeling techniques can also be used, such as those described in the French patents 2 422 956 and 2 518 755. The hybridization step may be performed in different ways (Matthews et al. 1988). A general method comprises immobilizing the nucleic acid that has been extracted from the biological sample on a substrate (nitrocellulose, nylon, polystyrene) and then incubating, in defined conditions, the target nucleic acid with the probe. Subsequent to the hybridization step, the excess amount of the specific probe is discarded, and the hybrid molecules formed are detected by an appropriate method (radioactivity, fluorescence, or enzyme activity measurement).

In another advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the probes described herein can be used as “capture probes”, and are for this purpose immobilized on a substrate in order to capture the target nucleic acid contained in a biological sample. The captured target nucleic acid is subsequently detected with a second probe, which recognizes a sequence of the target nucleic acid that is different from the sequence recognized by the capture probe.

The oligonucleotide fragments useful as probes or primers according to the present invention can be prepared by cleavage of the polynucleotides with restriction enzymes, as described in Sambrook et al. in 1989. Another appropriate preparation process of the nucleic acids of the invention containing at most 200 nucleotides (or 200 bp if these molecules are double-stranded) comprises the following steps:

-   -   Synthesizing DNA using the automated method of         beta-cyanethylphosphoramidite described in 1986;     -   cloning the thus obtained nucleic acids in an appropriate         vector; and     -   purifying the nucleic acid by hybridizing to an appropriate         probe according to the present invention.

A chemical method for producing the nucleic acids according to the invention, which have a length of more than 200 nucleotides (or 200 bp if these molecules are double-stranded), comprises the following steps:

-   -   Assembling the chemically synthesized oligonucleotides having         different restriction sites at each end;     -   cloning the thus obtained nucleic acids in an appropriate         vector; and     -   purifying the nucleic acid by hybridizing to an appropriate         probe according to the present invention.

The oligonucleotide probes according to the present invention can also be used in a detection device comprising a matrix library of probes immobilized on a substrate, the sequence of each probe of a given length being localized in a shift of one or several bases, one from the other, each probe of the matrix library thus being complementary to a distinct sequence of the target nucleic acid. Optionally, the substrate of the matrix can be a material able to act as an electron donor, the detection of the matrix positions in which hybridization has occurred being subsequently determined by an electronic device. Such matrix libraries of probes and methods of specific detection of a target nucleic acid are described in the European patent application No. 0 713 016, or PCT Application No. WO 95 33846, or also PCT Application No. WO 95 11995 (Affymax Technologies), PCT Application No. WO 97 02357 (Affymetrix Inc.), and also in U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,231 (Drmanac), said patents and patent applications being herein incorporated by reference.

The polynucleotide probes according to the invention can be incorporated into a kit for detecting the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, wherein the kit comprises:

-   -   (A) a polynucleotide probe according to the invention; and     -   (B) reagents necessary to perform a nucleic acid hybridization         reaction.

In one embodiment, the Mycobacterium tuberculosis is present in a biological sample, has resistance to antibiotics, and harbors one or more of the polynucleotide sequences according to the invention.

The primer pairs according to the invention can be incorporated into another kit for detecting the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, wherein the kit comprises:

-   -   (A) a primer pair according to the invention; and     -   (B) reagents necessary to perform a nucleic acid amplification         reaction.

In one embodiment, the Mycobacterium tuberculosis is present in a biological sample, has resistance to antibiotics, and harbors one or more of the polynucleotide sequences according to the invention.

In summary the results described above show that MDR strains of M. tuberculosis acquired mutations expected to result in a mutator phenotype. This invention provides the first evidence of polymorphism in putative genes of M. tuberculosis that correlate with a mutator phenotype, and therefore to a better adaptation of the bacilli to hostile environment (16). Results presented here show that all Beijing strains had a mutation in the ORF of Rv3908, which contains a MutT domain. Three of these Beijing strains, which also had an MDR phenotype, harbored an additional and identical mutation in a second putative gene of the mutT family. This suggests that M. tuberculosis strains adapt to hostile environments by a succession of alterations of DNA repair enzymes.

The acquisition of mutator alleles was described as an adaptive response of bacteria to a succession of different environments (17, 18). After infecting a host, M. tuberculosis has to adapt to different environments such as alveolar macrophages, then to granuloma containing unactivated macrophages, and then to activated macrophages after induction of the acquired immune responses. In addition, the bacilli have to adapt to the caseous media with low oxygen concentration in the center of tubercles, and then to different tissues during dissemination of the disease. Such variable growth conditions might select for mutator mutations in M. tuberculosis strains as described in other bacterial populations submitted to different environments. Mutations might occur with an increased frequency due to the toxic radicals produced in phagocytic cells. The accumulation of mutations leading to antibiotic resistance may be a consequence of the appearance of a mutator phenotype. MDR strains would be easily selected when patients with better adapted strains received inadequate anti-tuberculosis regimen.

An identification of the presence of mutator alleles in clinical strains allows one to identify the patients who present a higher risk of being unable to eliminate the bacillus or to develop MDR tuberculosis, and encourage clinicians to increased vigilance.

Plasmids containing polynucleotides of the invention have been deposited at the Collection Nationale de Cultures de Microorganismes (“C.N.C.M.”) Institut Pasteur, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France, as follows: Plasmid Accession No. Deposit Date pMYC2501 I-2711 Aug. 20, 2001 pMYC2502 I-2712 Aug. 20, 2001 pMYC2503 I-2713 Aug. 20, 2001

A copy of the deposit receipt for each plasmid is attached hereto, and the entire contents of each deposit receipt are incorporated by reference herein.

REFERENCES

The following publications have been cited herein. The entire closure of each publication is relied upon and incorporated by reference herein.

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Nature     1997; 387: 700-702. 

1-55. (canceled)
 56. A method for predicting the epidemic character of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolate and/or a selective advantage to be maintained in a host and/or the acquisition of multiple drug resistance (MDR) by the isolate, wherein the method comprises detecting a mutation in the rpsl locus and a mutation in one or more mutT family member selected from the Rv3908 locus, the mutT2 locus, and the ogt locus of said isolate, wherein the existence of the mutations is indicative of Beijing genotype and MDR phenotype of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
 57. The method as claimed in claim 56 wherein the isolate consists essentially of a Beijing Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain.
 58. A method for detecting a Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain having a multiple drug resistant (MDR) phenotype, wherein the method comprises detecting a mutation in the rpsl locus and a mutation in the Rv3908 locus of the genome of said Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain, wherein the existence of the mutations is indicative of Beijing genotype and MDR phenotype of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
 59. The method as claimed in claim 58, which comprises detecting a mutation at codon 48 of the Rv3908 locus.
 60. The method as claimed in claim 59, which comprises detecting GGG at codon
 48. 61. A method for detecting a Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain having a multiple drug resistance (MDR) phenotype, wherein the method comprises detecting a mutation in the rpsl locus and a mutation in the mutT2 locus of the genome of said Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain, wherein the existence of the mutations is indicative of Beijing genotype and MDR phenotype of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
 62. The method as claimed in claim 61, which comprises detecting a mutation at codon 58 of the mutT2 locus.
 63. The method as claimed in claim 62, which comprises detecting CGA at codon
 58. 64. A method for detecting a Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain having a multiple drug resistance (MDR) phenotype, wherein the method comprises detecting a mutation in the rspl locus and in the ogt locus of the genome of said—Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain, wherein the existence of the mutations is indicative of Beijing genotype and MDR phenotype of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
 65. A method of detecting a Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain having a multiple drug resistance (MDR) phenotype, wherein the method comprises: (a) providing a biological sample suspected of containing Mycobacterium tuberculosis; (b) amplifying nucleic acids in the sample using as a primer pair (i) SEQ ID NO: 1, and SEQ ID NO: 2; or (ii) SEQ ID NO: 3, and SEQ ID NO: 4; or (iii) SEQ ID NO: 7, and SEQ ID NO: 8; and (c) detecting a mutation in the rpsl locus and a mutation in the Rv3908 locus, or the mutT2 locus, or the ogt locus, of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis, wherein the existence of the mutations is indicative of Beijing genotype and MDR phenotype of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
 66. The method as claimed in claim 65, wherein the isolate consists essentially of a Beijing Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain.
 67. The method as claimed in claim 65, wherein the isolate contains a mutation in one or more mutT family member selected from the Rv3908 locus, the mutT2 locus, and the ogt locus.
 68. The method as claimed in claim 65, wherein step (c) comprises detecting a mutation in the Rv3908 locus of the genome of said Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain.
 69. The method as claimed in claim 68, which comprises detecting a mutation at codon 48 of the Rv3908 locus.
 70. The method as claimed in claim 69, which comprises detecting GGG at codon
 48. 71. The method as claimed in claim 65, wherein step (c) comprises detecting a mutation in the mutT2 locus of the genome of said Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain.
 72. The method as claimed in claim 71, which comprises detecting a mutation at codon 58 of the mutT2 locus.
 73. The method as claimed in claim 72, which comprises detecting CGA at codon
 58. 74. The method as claimed in claim 65, wherein step (c) comprises detecting a mutation in the ogt locus of the genome of said Mycobacterium tuberculosis-strain.
 75. A method for detecting whether a patient is infected by a Beijing genotype and MDR phenotype of M. tuberculosis, wherein the method comprises assaying a biological specimen from the patient for a mutation in rpsl locus and one or more mutT family members selected from Rv3908 locus, mutT2 locus, and ogt locus of M. tuberculosis, wherein the existence of the mutations is indicative of Beijing genotype of and MDR phenotype Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
 76. A method as claimed in claim 75, wherein the method comprises detecting a mutation in the rpsl locus and a mutation in the Rv3908 locus of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
 77. The method as claimed in claim 76, which comprises detecting a mutation at codon 48 of the Rv3908 locus.
 78. The method as claimed in claim 77, which comprises detecting GGG at codon
 48. 79. A method as claimed in claim 75, wherein the method comprises detecting a mutation in the mutT2 locus of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
 80. The method as claimed in claim 79, which comprises detecting a mutation at codon 58 of the mutT2 locus.
 81. The method as claimed in claim 80, which comprises detecting CGA at codon
 58. 82. A method as claimed in claim 75, wherein the method comprises detecting a mutation in the ogt locus of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. 